Rampant grade inflation at Harvard and other Ivy leagues does not make grading on a curve a good idea. What does grading on a curve even mean if everyone is getting B's and higher anyway? If the class cannot grasp the material at hand, they should be graded poorly. If they learn it well, they should be rewarded. It is perfectly fine to write difficult (even near impossible) questions on an exam, with or without a curve. The only classes where I saw a grading curve used effectively were the weeder classes at <my well known research university> for high-demand majors. Like ochem for pre-med and electrical engineering prereqs, there were not enough spots in the program for everyone, and a certain percentage would fail the class, therefore assuring that only the strongest students would be admitted to those high priority majors.
